Salt lurks in the most inconspicuous places: That grande frappuccino packs 300 milligrams of sodium; that fitness water 104 milligrams; the quintessential fast-food meal, more than 5,000 milligrams.

Not good news for those of us battling high blood pressure. Nutritionists warn that the average American’s diet is two to three times the recommended 1,500 to 2,400 daily milligrams.

But here’s some good news: you may reduce your risk of developing heart disease by 25 percent – and dying of heart disease by 20 percent – by putting down the salt shaker and not eating so much sodium-laced food, doctors at Harvard Medical School say.

Although our bodies need some sodium to operate efficiently, health experts warn that too much sodium – the chemical name for table salt – can raise your blood pressure, which is a major reason why doctors admonish patients undergoing treatment for the condition to avoid salt at all costs.

Making our hearts work harder

Sodium causes fluid retention, which requires our hearts to work harder and ultimately raising our blood pressure, which sets us up for heart problems, clogged arteries and other maladies. For instance, high levels of sodium can damage the lining of the stomach, thus raising your risk of gastric cancer, nutritionists warn.

The American Medical Association, the group that represents physicians, called recently for a 50-percent reduction in sodium in processed foods, fast foods and other restaurant meals within 10 years.

However, cooking and table salt account for only 5 to 10 percent of your average sodium consumption, says Karen Collins, nutrition advisor to the American Institute for Cancer Research. So she and other nutritionists tell us to look for other ways to slash sodium – or salt, whatever you want to call it – and the main area is the foods we eat, especially pre-packaged, processed and frozen foods.

We can still nosh pizza, but we cut the cheese in half and replace sodium-heavy Canadian bacon and sausage with veggie toppings. We can still enjoy our Asian favorites, but watch the sodium-laced soy sauce.

Watch out for canned soups

Anything made with baking soda, such as bread, muffings, doughnuts and cookies, could yield nearly 1,300 milligrams of sodium.

But one of the major places where sodium lurks is within the cans of food we buy. Some of those cans, even if they’re vegetables, can contain nearly 1,000 milligrams of sodium, which makes choosing fresh vegetables in the produce section your best bet.

Soups are notoriously high in sodium, but more “no salt added” or “reduced sodium” varieties are popping up on store shelves. Collins and other nutritionists suggest rinsing the contents of canned goods under running water to remove as much sodium as possible.